Fluid-flow meter.



H.v G. ALGER.

FLUID FLOW METER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19 1912.

' Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

aNVENTO C,

Fl l v WITNESSES: 9

H. C. ALGER.

FLUID FLOW METER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 19, 1912.

Patented May 19, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

s. s 1 m 7 m 25.2... 1 W I m. 5.52: a v a mwrhwr v. 7 7

M 1 5' I .1..IMH4JMH|!'.2J.|HJ|1#EII IN VENTO Z.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI;

HARLEY'C. ALGER, OF CHICAGO HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS.

FLUID-FLOW METER.

To all evkom it may concern Be it known that I, HARLEY C. fine-ER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chimgo Heights, in the countyof Cook and of flow which are proportional to the quan-.

tities of fluid passing, one object being to provide such a measuringelement with a mechanism which will indicate at all times the rateatwhich fluid is flowing, which will record these various rates on asuitable chart. and which will continuously register the amount of fluidflowing so that the quantity of liquid which has Passed through themeasuring element at any given time may be known by reading theregister.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1,

is a front, and Fig. 2, a side elevation of my inventlon as may beapplied to measurement of liquid over a weir or V-notch or through anorifice; Fig. 3, shows a modification of my invention, while Fig. 4c,shows the application of my invention to the Venturi system of measuringliquids or gases.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a float-pot 1, suitablylocated, communicates through the pipe, 2, with a weir-box or thesupplyside of the notch or orifice or an equivalent'device adapted forthe measurement of liquid, so that the liquid level with in thefloat-pot is at all times the same as the liquid level in the weir-boxor such supply side. A float, 3, is positioned within the fioatpot so asto be actuated by the level of the liquid therein; rods, 4, 5, and 6,secured to the float are slidingly received within the guides, '1 8. and9, respectively,

so as to allow free movement of the float in a vertical line. The tworods, 4 and 5, are preferably secured to the float, 3, at a distanceapart to prevent turning of the float, 3. Thefloat rod, 6, is connectedby means of a wire, 10,. or other suitable connection with a chain, 11,which passes over a pulley or sprocket, 12, and which has a weight, 13,suspended from its other end to. keep the chain and wire taut. If thespace Specification of letters Patent.

Patented Mayiltt, 1914.

Application filed August 19, 1912. Serial No. 715,898.

within the float-pot, 1, is under pressure or vacuum the wire, 10, maypass through a suitable 'stu-fling box, 14, which will allow the passageof the wire, 10, therethrough at the same time retaining such pressureor vacuum, The pulley or sprocket, 12, is mounted on a shaft, 15, whichis suitably journaled in bearings, 16 and 17, carried by a bracket, 18,secured to a suitable support, 19; a plate or disk, 20, is mounted onthe shaft, 15, so as to rotate as the float, 3, rises or falls. Upon theplate, 20, is-formed a spirally shaped member, 21, which may be either agroove or'slot in the plate or may be formed by a member projecting fromthe plate. -A rod, 22, 'slidably mounted in guides, 23 and 24:, whichare suitably supported as by arms, 25' and 26, of the bracket, 27, whichis held by the support, 19, carries an arm, 28, having its extending endshaped to engage the spirally shaped member, 21, and is adapted to movethe rod, 22, endwise as the spirally shaped member is caused to rotate.A recording surface or member,

29, which maybe of the disk or drum type.

as desired, is preferably marked with circles which may be spaced torepresent the rates at which liquid is flowing through the measuringelement; a pen arm, 31, which is also carried by the rod, 22, supports apen, 32, which is adapted to record upon the re cording surface, 29. Thecurvature of the spirally, shaped member, 21., and the positions of thecircles upon the recording surface, 29, are such that the-pen, 32,records graduated scale, 33, is suitably located upon the bracket, 27,and a pointer, 34, which may be connected to or operated by the slidingrod, 22, is adapted to indicate upon the scale the rates at which liquidis ii owing. lhe recording member, 29, is secured to a shaft, 34,suitably journaled in bearings, 7 2 and '23, which may be carried by thebracket, 27 a suitable clockwork, 3h, supported from the hrachet, 27.,or other suitable support, is mounted so as to rotate the shaft, 34,thus causing the recording surface, 29, to move at a uniform rate astime passes. The pen, 32, recording upon the recording surface will thendraw a curve which as previously explained, will represent the rates offlow. A suitable radii averaging device may be used to ascertain theaverage radius of the irregular curve which may be drawn by therecording pen, or to give the average distance from the zero circleofthe chart to the curve, which represents the average rate 'of flow. Asthe chart also shows the length of time during which this average rateof flow occurs, the total amount of liquid which has passed through theWeir or other measuring element may be determined. A friction member,35, which is preferably constructed in the form of a disk, is mounted onthe shaft, 34, driven by the clockwork, 30, so as to move in timedrelation with the recording member, 29. A shaft, 36, carrylng a gear,37, with a relatively long face and mounted so as to slide back andforth in the guides 38 and 39,

carried by brackets, secured to the support, 19, as shown at, 49, Fig.2, carries a friction wheel, 40, which is adapted to receive motion fromthe friction member, 35; an arm, 41, secured to the sliding rod, 22, andcarrying a fork or yoke, 42, at its opposite end is-received between twocollars, 43 and 44, which are secured to the shaft, 36. The yoke, 42,allows-the shaft, 36, to revolve freely but moves it sidewise andpreferably radially to the recording member, 29, as the sliding rod, 22,is moved. A gear, 45, mounted upon a shaft, 46, suitably journaled inbearings, 47 and 48,- carried by brackets secured to the support, 19, asshown at 50, Fig. 2, meshes with-the gear, 37, with relatively long faceupon the shaft, 36. The

shaft, 36, may then move end-wise while at the same time revolving andwill revolve the shaft, 46, at all times in relation to the rate atwhich the friction wheel, 40, revolves. As the motion of the recordingmember, 29, or friction member, 35, which are driven by clockwork isuniform, as equal distances measured on radial lines with recordingmember represent equal rates of flow, and as the friction wheel movesendwise With respect to the shaft it will revolve more rapidly when nearthe outside of the friction member than when near the center and will atall times revolve at rates proportional to the rates at which liquid isflowing through the measuring element. A register, 51, operated from theshaft, 46, is adapted to register the amount of fluid and to show at alltimes the quantity of fluid which has passed through the measuringelement. The shaft, 46, operates through suitable mechanism such as apair of bevel gears, 52 and 53, operating the shaft, 54, suitably supmeses ported by bearings, 55 and 56 ;-the shaft, 54, in turn operates asecond pair of gears, 57 and 58, operating the shaft, 59, of theregister, 51. The register, 51, maybe held by a bracket, 60, carried bythe support, 19; a flexible shaft may be used in place of the bevel geardrive, if desired.

Fig. 3, shows a mechanism which may be used for operating the slidingrod, 22. The pulley or sprocket, 12, is mounted upon a shaft, 61,suitably mounted in bearings, 62 and 63, held by the support, 19. Theshaft, 61, carries a gear, 64, which meshes with the gear, 65, securedto the shaft, 66, suitably journaled in bearings, 67 and 68, carried bythe support, 19. The shaft, 66, carries a] Fig. 4, shows the deviceadapted for use with the Venturi system of measuring fluids. A Venturitube, 74, having a throat, 75, of smaller diameter than the diameter ofthe main pipe line and diverging from the throat, 75, to the originalsize of the pipe line at the point, 76, has pipe connections,

77 and 78, at the throat, 75, and the point, 76, which connect to twosides of a suitably arranged manometer, which may consist of a casing,79, having a centrally located cylinder, 80, extending to a point nearthe bottom of the casing, 79, the interior of the casing and cylinderbeing filled with mercury. A float, 81, connected to a wire, 10,-isadapted to rise and fall as the mercury within the central cylinderrises and falls. Thepipe leading from the point, 76, of the Venturi tubemay connect to the annular space, 82, formed between the centralcylinder, 80, and the casing, 79, while the pipe leading from thethroat, 75, of the Venturi tube may connect with the space, 83, withinthe central cylinder, 80. The difference in head at the throat, 75, andthe point, 7 6, of

velocity head is so much greater at the throat, 75, than at the point,76, causes the mercury to rise and fall within the central cylinder,"80. The wire, 10, passes through a suitable stufling box, 14, which mayretain any pressure Within the manometer. An equalizing pipe, 84, havinga valve, 85, is adapted to equalize the pressure within the annularspace, 82, and the space, 83, for'the purpose of obtaining a zero levelof the mercury and for adjusting the relation of the" float, 81, withthe mechanism above. The

' pulley or sprocket, 12, may be made to operate a cam, 86, causing thecam to turn as the float rises or falls. An arm, 87, carrying a roller,88, which is adapted to operate upon the Workingsurface of the cam, 86,is con-' ,nected to the sliding rod, 22, so that the sliding rod, 22, ismoved as the cam turns and the shape of the cam, 86, may be such thatthe pen, 32, will record the correct rates of-flow on the recordingmember, 29, as previously described. The cam, 86, may operate the arm,87, in one direction while a weight, 89, operating through a cord, 90,over a pulley, 91, may tend to operate the sliding rod, 22, in theopposite direction so as to hold the roller, 88, against the work: ingsurface of the cam at all times.

It is evident that variations may be made i in the proportions of thevarious parts and that the shape of the various elements may be alteredwithout departing from the scope of my invention. For example, therecording member may be made of the disk shape as shown or it may bemade in the form of a drum or cylinder with a recording surface locatedupon such cylinder.

I do not confine myself to the particular constructions set forth.

\Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patentis:

1. In a fluid flow recorder, a recording surface and a'friction membermounted 0n a shaft, means for rotating the shaft, means for recordingupon the recording surface, an integrating register and means driven bythe friction member and controlled by the recording means to cause theregister to operate.

2. In a fluid flow recorder, a recording surface, a friction member,means for rotating the recording surface and friction member, means forrecording upon the recording surface, an integrating register and meansdriven by the friction member and controlled by the recording means tocause the register to operate.

3. In a fluid flow recorder, a shaft, a recording surface and a frictionmember carried by such shaft, means for recording upon the recordingsurface, an integrating registering member and means actuated by thefriction member to cause the operation of the registering member.

4. In a, fluid flow recorder, a recording surface, means for recordingthereon, a friction member, a wheel 7 adapted to receive motiontherefrom, an integrating register, means for transmitting motion fromthe wheel to drive the register and a sliding member adapted to operatethe recording means and to control the position of they wheel withrespect to the friction member.

, 5. In a fluid flow recorder, a recording surface, meansfor recordingthere-on, an integrating register, a friction member, a

wheel adapted to receive motion from the friction member to operate theregister, said wheel being mounted upon a sliding shaft 7 and adapted tomove with respect to the friction member and a sliding member adapted tooperate the recording means and to operate the sliding shaft.

6. In a fluid flow recorder, a recording surface and a friction membermounted on a shaft, means for rotating the shaft, means for recordingupon the recording surface, a scale, means for indicating thereon, aregister, a wheel driven by said friction mem- .ber and adapted to moveaxially to operate the register and a sliding member adapted to operatethe recording means, the indicating means and the driven wheel.

7. In a fluid flow recorder, a recording surface, means for recordingthereon, a reg ister, a friction member, a wheel driven by said frictionmember for operating the register, said wheel being mounted upon asliding shaft and adapted to move with respect to the friction memberand a sliding member mounted so as to slide in a direction substantiallyparallel to the sliding shaft and adapted to operate the recording meansand the sliding shaft.

8. In a mechanism of the class described, a recording surface, afriction member,

means for rotating the recording surface and friction member, aregister, a sliding shaft, a friction wheel mounted thereon and adaptedto receive motion from the friction member to drive the register, aplate mounted so as to rotate in accordance with the flow of fluid, aspirally shaped member on said plate, arod slidably 'mounted parallel tothe sliding member and adapted to receive motion from the spirallyshaped member as said and friction member, a register, a sliding shaft,a friction wheel mounted thereon and adapted to receive motion from thefriction member to drive the register, a plate mounted so as to rotatein accordance with the flow of fluid, a spirallyshaped member on saidplate, a rod slidably mounted parallel to the sliding member and adaptedto receive motion from the spirally shaped member as said plate rotates,a scale, means for indicating thereon, means for recording upon 10. In amechanism of the class described, a plate adapted to rotate inaccordance with the flow of fluid, a spirally shaped member.

on said plate, a recordingsurface, a friction member, means for rotatingthe recording surface and friction member, a rod-slidably mounted andadapted to receive motion from the spirally shaped member as said platerotates, means operated by the rod for recording upon the recordinsurface, a register, a gear rotatably mounte means driven by the gearand adapted to drive the register, a sliding shaft, a friction wheelthereon adapted to receive motion from the friction member, a gear withrelatively long face mounted on the shaft and meshing with said gear asthe shaft slides and means connecting the sliding shaft with the slidingrod to cause the shaft to slide longitudinally as the rod moves, wherebythe relative position of the friction wheel and the friction member ischanged. t

11. In a mechanism of the class described, a plate adapted to rotate inaccordance with v the flow of fluid, a spirally shaped member on saidplate, a recording surface, a friction member, means for rotating therecording surface andfriction member, a rod slidably mounted and adaptedto receive motion from the spirally shaped member as said plate rotates,a scale, means for indicating thereon, means operated by the rod forrecording upon the recording surface, means operatively connecting theindicating means and recording means, a register, a gear rotatablymounted, means driven by the gear and adapted to drive the register, asliding shaft, a friction wheel thereon adapted to receive motion fromthe friction member, a gear with relatively long face mounted on theshaft and meshing with said gear as the shaft slides and meansconnecting the sliding shaft with the sliding rod to-cause the shaft toslide longitudinally as the rod moves, whereby the relative position ofthe friction wheel and the friction member is changed' 12. In amechanism of the class described, a recording surface and a frictionmember mounted on a shaft, means for rotating the recording surface andfriction member, a register, a sliding shaft, a friction wheel mountedon the shaft in contact with the friction member whereby the wheel andshaft are rotated, a gear secured to the shaft and adapted to rotatewith the shaft, a second gear meshing with the first mentioned gear, oneof the gears to have a relatively long face whereby the gears remain inmesh as the sliding shaft slides, means driven by the second gear tooperate the register, a

sliding rod, means for moving the sliding rod in accordance with theflow of fluid, means operated by the rod to record upon the recordingsurface and means connecting the sliding shaft with the rod whereby therelative position of the friction wheel and friction member is changed.

VIVA LEE MOI-EN,- W. N. Cross.

